Electric alarm system.



No. 636,9lo. mannedY Nov. I4, 1399.

n. MAY.

ELECTRIC ALARM SYSTEM.

(Application led June 17, 1899.)

E(No Model.)

l NITED STATESF RICHARD R. MAY, oF sAN Josu, CALIFORNIA.

LECTRIC ALARM SYSTEM.

SPECIFICATION foi-ming part of Letters Patent N. 636,910, dated November14, 189e.

Application iiled .Tune 17,1899.

To all whom t may concern:

v Be it known that LRICHARD R. MAY, a citizen of the United States,residing at San J ose, in the countyof Santa Clara and State ofCalifornia, have invented a new and useful Electric Alarm System, ofwhich the following is a specification.

This invention relates to electrically-operated alarm systems, andparticularly to that class i'n which the alarm-circuits are manuallyclosed through electromechanical circuit-closers'; and it has for itsobject to provide a simple and efficient system and construction inwhich at a suitable point may be located a source of electricity,including a plurality of circuits, one of which containsa number ofalarms in multiple arc and another of which includes anelectromechanical circuit-closer adapted to close the alarm-circuitswhen its own circuit is closed through the medium of a push-button orother manual closer.

In the drawings forming a portion of this specification, and in whichlike numerals of reference indicate similar parts in both views, Figure1 shows in elevation a source of electricity, two alarmsV in a circuitwith saidl course, and an electromechanical circuitcloser in a separatecircuit including said source and arranged to close the circuits of thealarms. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of one of the alarms and showingthe means for closing the circuit of the circuit-closer.

Referring now to the drawings, in installing a system in accordance withmy invention I arrange within a suitable inclosure or casing 5 a sourceof electricity, which may consist of one or more cells of battery 6, andwithin said casing I also arrange an electromechanical circuitcloserconsisting of an electromagnet comprising a core 7, a spool 8, and awinding 9. Adjacent one end of the core 7 is pivoted a lever 10,carrying an armature 11, which is adapted to be attracted by the saidelectromagnet when it is energized. In order to limit the movement ofthe lever 10 in a direction away from said electromagnet, I arrange astop 12 upon the adjacent wall of the casing or upon any other suitablesupport. Upon the upper face of the lever 10 and adjacent its outer endis an upwardly and rearwardly extending spring-contact 13,

Serial No. 720,944.. (No model.)

adapted to engage a plate 14 when the arma'- ture 11 is at the upperlimit of its motion under the iniiuence of its electromagnet. The lowerend of the plate 14. adjacent the contact 13 is adapted for electricalconnec` tion with said contact. Pivot'ed adjacent the outer end of thelever 10 is a tumbler 15, having a recess 16 in its inner face andextending upwardly from its lower end to the line of its pivot 17. Inthis recess the free end of the lever IO lies at all times, the upperterminal wall 18 of said recess lying in the path of the lever 10 in itsupward movement and being adapted to be engaged thereby. That portion ofthe tumbler above its pivot is longer than the portion below the pivot,and, furthermore, is weighted, and said upper end is adapted to bethrown from one side to the other of its center of gravity under theinfluence of the lever 10 in its upward movement, said tumbler beingheld at the limits of its movements through the medium of a keeper 19,the ends of which are secured to the adjacent portion of the casing. Asshown in Fig. 1 of the drawings, when the tumbler is in an uprightposition the shoulder 18 is in line with the outer end of the lever.Thus when the lever rises under the inliuence of its electromagnet saidshoulder will be engaged and the tumbler will fall to the position shownin dotted lines, when the door of the recess will swing under and risebeneath the lever, and because of its weighted end will hold the leverin this position and with the contact piece 13 engaging the plate 14.

Included in the system is one or more electric bells 21, comprising eacha conductive base 22, to which is secured a binding-post 23 inelectrical relation to the base, and to which base is also connected andinsulated therefrom a second binding-post 24, one terminal of theelectromagnet 25 of the bell being connected directly with thebinding-post 24. and the other terminal with a contact-spring 26 carriedby the vibratory armature 27. The fixed contact-piece 28 of the make andbreak is in direct electrical connection with the base 22. Thebinding-post 23 is connected directly with one terminal 29 of thebattery 6, while the binding-post 24: is in direct connection with theswitch-arm 30, adapted to engage the plate 14 and complete the circuitbetween said IOO post and plate. Thus when the contact-piece 13 is inengagement with the plate 14 the circuit including the bells will beclosed through the lever 10 and its connection with the terminal 32 ofthe battery G. The alarms being connected in multiple arc, they will ofcourse be sounded simultaneously.

One terminal of the windinnf 9 of the electromagnet within the casing ois connected directly with the lever 10,througl1 the medium of which itis in circuit with the terminal 32 of the battery 6, the other terminalof said winding being connected directly with a binding-screw 40 upon aplate 41, having an upwardly and forwardly-extending spring-finger 42projecting above a rearwardly-extending lug 43 upon the frame 22 of eachof the alarms, and through the medium of which spring-finger the circuitthrough the winding 9 may be closed upon the base 22 of an alarm, a knob44 upon the finger 42 being adapted for direct pressure by the operator.Thus it will be seen that upon pressure of the knob 44 to causeengagement of finger 2 with the base 22 the circuit will be completedfrom the terminal 32 to lever 10 through winding 9 to screw 40, to plate41, to finger 42, to base 22, to binding-post 23,to terminal 29,energizing the electromagnct including said winding and causing the core7 to attract the armature 11 and raise the contact 13 into engagementwith the plate 14. The push-button comprising knob 44 being then raisedthe circuit including said electromagnet will be broken, hut the tumbler15 having been moved into the position shown in dotted lines it willhold the contact 13 against the plate 14,and the switcharm 30 being thenin engagement with the plate 14, as shown in dott-ed lines in Fig. 1,the circuit will be from terminal 32 of the battery G to lever 10,contact 13, plate 14, switch-arm 30, binding-screw 24, to the winding ofthe electromagnets 25, to contact-spring 26, to contact-point 28, toframe 22, to binding-screw 23 and terminal 2S), causing the operation ofthe alarm in the usual manner.

I have shown in the drawings the several alarms connected in multipleare and equipped with similar apparatus, and it will be of courseunderstood that the alarms will be sounded substantially simultaneously,depending upon their individual adjustment, and will be operated with adegree of intensity depending upon the well-known conditions in a systemof this nature.

It will be readily understood that I may employ any style of alarm andthat the specie construction thereof may be varied as desired.

It will of course be understood that one of the alarms is placed in eachroom or compartment in which it is desired to sound a warning, and thusif a fire or other source of danger be discovered the operatorimmediately presses the knob 44 in his compartment,wl1en thecircuit-closer is operated to close the circuits of the differentalarms, causing a si- @cacio multaneous sounding of the latter, andwhich sounding will be continued until the switcharm 30 is moved to theposition shown in full lines or until the tumbler 15 is moved to releasethe lever 10.

In Fig. 1 of the drawings I have shown a second switch-arm. 46, adaptedto engage a terminal47, from which latter may lead a Wire including inits circuit an additional system of alarms comprising a common returnleading to the terminal 29 of the battery G.

Various changes in the form, proportion, size, and minor details ofconstruction within the scope of the appended claims may be resorted towithout departing from the spirit or sacriiicing any of the advantagesof the inven tion.

Having described my invention, what I claim is- 1. In an electric alarmsystem, the combination with a source of electricity, of twonormally-open circuits including said source of electricity and having acommon return, an electric alarm located in one of said circuits andhaving a conductive base in its local circuit connected directly withthe common return, an electromechanical circuit-closer included in thesecond circuit and adapted to close the circuit of the alarm, and acircuitcloser for the second circuit including a terminal adapted toengage the base of the alarm, and a tumbler adapted for movement by andto engage the electromagnetic circuit-closer to hold it in its operativeposition, substantially as specified.

2. In an electric alarm system, the combination with a source of energy,of an electromagnetic alarm, a normally-open circuit includin g saidsource and the alarm, an electromechanical circuit-closer for closingsaid circuit, in a normally-open circuit including said source ofelectricity, means for closing the circuit including saidcircuit-closer, and a tumbler adapted for movement by and to engage theelectromagnetic circuit-closer to hold it in its operative position,substantially as specified.

3. In an electric alarm system, the combination with a source ofelectricity, of two normally-open electric circuits including saidsource and having a common return, an alarm in one of said circuits, anelectromechanical circuit-closer in the second circuit adapted to closethe first circuit, means for closing the second circuit, and a tumbleradapted for movement by and to engage the electromagnetic circuit-closerto hold it in its operative position, substantially as specified.

4. In an electric alarm system, the combination with a source ofelectricity, of two normally-open circuits including said source andhaving a common return, a plurality of electric alarms connected inmultiple are in one of said circuits, and having each aconductive basein its local circuit connected directly with the common return, anelectromechanical circuit-closer included in the second circuit ICO IIO

and adapted to close the circuit of the alarms, a circuit-closer for thesecond circuit including a terminal adapted to engage the base of eachalarm, and a tumbler adapted for movement by and to engage theelectromagnetic circuit-closerto hold it in its operative position,substantially as specified.

5. In an electric alarm system, the combination with a source ofelectricity, and an alarm, of an electromagnetic circuit-closercomprising an electromagnet having an armature movable under theinfluence thereof and adapted to close the circuit through said alarm,terminals adapted for engagement by the movement of said armature, and atumbler in the path of the armature adapted for movement thereby to holdthe armature in a position to engage the terminals.

6. In an electric alarm system, the combination with a source ofelectricity, and an alarm inthe circuit of said source, of anelectromagnetic circuit-closer comprising terminals adapted for mutualengagement to comder the influence of the electromagnet, a tumblerhaving a shoulder in the path of said lever to be engaged thereby at onelimit of its movement to throw it to the opposite limit-of its movement,and a projection upon the tumbler adapted to engage the lever and holdthe contacts in mutual engagement, when said tumbler is in its operativeposition, substantially as specified.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixedmy signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

RICHARD R. MAY.

Witnesses:

Jos. A. LOTZ, M. H. MOORE.

